This year’s festival will feature 76 varieties of craft beer on tap and samples from 11 local wineries, Kim Jennings, owner and producer of the festival, said. Forty local breweries will have representatives at the event.

With admission, guests also receive their choice of either a 9-ounce festival wine glass or a 16-ounce beer glass, stated Jennings.

New this year is Clash of the Decades, a merged band of two battling bands, Maryland’s Here’s to the Night and The New Romance. The New Romance, an 80’s tribute band, will musically duel The New Romance, a 90’s tribute band, according to Clash of the Decades’ Facebook page. Jennings stated that the two bands are the preferred bands of the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles.

This year, there will also be a larger beer area to avoid the issue they had last with congestion in that area.

As well as the free samples, beer and wine can be purchased at the event, said Jennings.

“You can buy wine by the glass or by the bottle… [If] you find a beer that you really like, you can purchase a full 15-ounce glass of that beer,” said Jennings.

This year, four beer trucks will provide beer for the event. Breweries set up their tents in front of their taps on the trucks, Jennings explained. Beer for the breweries will also be supplied by beer trailers.

Lynchburg police will be at the event to provide security, Jennings said.

“This is our seventh year, and we’ve never had one incident at the event,” said Jennings. “There has never been any fights. There hasn’t been any arrests or anything.”

Jennings stated that vendors will also provide bottled water available to help guests remain hydrated.

“We are offering free cab rides home if a person does not have a designated driver and has had too much to drink. Virginia Eagle is picking up the tab on cab rides home,” Jennings said.

Umbrellas, chairs and blankets are allowed at the festival, but tents are not allowed. No coolers or outside food or beverages are allowed, Jones said. Guests cannot leave with open containers of alcohol. No pets are allowed at the festival except service animals.

Parking for the festival will be available at Lynchburg City Stadium and along Fort Avenue. Police will direct people to available parking. Handicap parking is available at the stadium. Those who need assistance to the festival from the parking areas will be taken to the event by golf carts, Jennings said.

Jennings recommends that guests should arrive as early as possible because people begin lining up for the event around 11 a.m. She said the event averages 4,000 to 5,000 attendees, with people coming from North Carolina to West Virginia.

Tickets for the festival are $25 if purchased in advance, $30 at the gate and $15 for designated drivers or those not drinking; children five and under get in for free, according to the event’s website. Tickets can be purchased online or at several local Quik-E Food Stores. There are no refunds for this event. The event will continue if it rains, unless there is an extreme downpour.

The Lynchburg Music Festival is an annual event in May with six bands, beer and wine, artisans and crafters, Jones said. Brew Madness is an indoor craft beer festival that started this year in March and will also become an annual event.